WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Green Party of the United States is expressing support for a proposed resolution of the American Anthropological Association (AAA) urging a boycott of Israeli academic institutions, and encouraging other academic groups to pass similar resolutions as part of the effort to secure peace, human rights, and equality in Israel-Palestine.

In 2005, in response to a call by Palestinian civil society for international boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) against Israel, the Green Party formally endorsed BDS and incorporated it into the party’s national platform (http://www.gp.org/democracy#demForeignPolicy).

“The Green Party supports BDS as a nonviolent tactic to end decades of Palestinian dispossession by Israel,” said Bahram Zandi, co-chair of the Green Party and co-chair of the party’s International Committee. “We know that BDS works — it helped bring an end to apartheid in South Africa.”

“The Israeli government, with unequivocal political, financial, and military support from the U.S., continues to violate Palestinian human rights. It refuses to end the military occupation and ongoing colonization of the West Bank and East Jerusalem and apartheid-like conditions for non-Jews in Israel and the occupied Palestinian Territories. International civil society must step in to press for an end to these injustices,” said Mr. Zandi.

Greens praised the AAA resolution for condemning Israel’s violation of Palestinians’ right to education, including arbitrary closings of Palestinian universities, harassment of Palestinian academics and school children, and obstructing Palestinians from traveling to work and studying at their own universities or abroad.

“By addressing the appalling violation of Palestinians’ education rights, the AAA resolution targets a central feature in sustaining and enlivening any culture. Along with confiscating Palestinian lands, Israel’s assault on such rights suggests an ongoing intention to rid Israel-Palestine of a viable Palestinian community. The proposed resolution reflects a long-standing concern of anthropologists for the survival of native peoples,” said Justine McCabe, anthropologist, clinical psychologist, and member of the Green Party’s International and Platform committees.

Greens said that the AAA resolution and similar statements are especially important in response to efforts within the U.S. to censor open discussion of Israel-Palestine at colleges and universities, label Israel’s critics “antisemitic,” and bar organizing on campus for BDS and Palestinian rights. Greens noted similar attempts to outlaw criticism of Israel in other western countries as well as Israel itself.

Nonviolence has been a key value of the Green Party since it was founded. Greens support efforts by Israeli and Palestinian organizations for a peaceful resolution of the Israel-Palestine conflict. The Green Party endorses universal enforcement of human rights and strongly condemns all violence and threats of violence against unarmed civilians, regardless of side, as well as vandalism of mosques, synagogues, and businesses owned by Muslims and Jews.